10G Split Betta Tank~Help Please

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palmbreeze

Fish are friends...not food!
Jul 26, 2005
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Ohio
I have a love for Betta's let me tell ya, and I can't live with just one Betta. With the inspiration of EMG and reignman40, I'm thinking of spliting my 10G tank into two.

I have three White Clouds, two Harlequin Rasboras, one male Betta, and one Clown Pleco. And then of course there is my snail infestation.

So....I'm thinking if I split the tank in two...what about my other fish? I was thinking I could have a tunnel big enough for the small fish to swim through, but not so big that Betta could go through? (Good/Bad idea??) What about little clown pleco? He is obviously too big to fit through the small fish hole. So...could he live on one side and then I could get another small pleco for the other side? That would be five gallons for each pleco. Would that work?

What about filtration? Would I just leave one filter on one side and allow the water to flow freely through both sides?

Thanks!
 

Emg

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Jan 16, 2005
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You might want to get another tank....lol....

for your snail infestation....maybe a yoyo loach will help there. They love snails and don't get more than 4 inches. They can also do well by themselves unlike other loaches which prefer to be in a crowd.

I would setup another 10gallon if you can and divide that one for bettas.... You can put a couple of smaller cories in each side for bottom feeders...(pandas don't get very big)....and a few white clouds on each side for added interest.

Stock slowly and use some water and gravel from the tank that's setup...seed a box or sponge filter in the tank that you have now as well...that way the new one will have a good headstart on the cycle. (make sure there are no snails or snail eggs on the filters or anything else you take from that tank...there won't be any room to add loaches to your betta tank..this list is a bit tight as it is)....and I would add the bettas last....after you are sure the tank is cycled.
 

palmbreeze

Fish are friends...not food!
Jul 26, 2005
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I really would like to keep my current setup. I'm really poor right now and I don't want to add another tank just yet. Anyway I could use my current tank to do the split setup?
 

Emg

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Jan 16, 2005
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You could, but you already have quite a few fish in there already....If you do...I wouldn't add any other fish except the other betta you want to get.

Pick which fish you want on which side and don't try to make a tunnel...the betta will surely try to get through and probably injure itself. The pleco on one side..the rasporas on the other.
 

zazz

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Mar 29, 2005
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if the raspboras could fit through a tunnel, the betta probably could. its surprising what a small whole they can fit through. I'ds kip the tunnel also

I have had a betta and three white clouds in a 5 gallon and I wouldnt go ANY more than that. Maybe the Rasboras and pleco on one side, white clouds on the other. even then, with hiding places for the pleco when its full sized, it sounds kind of crowded. I know they have ten gallons of water, but still...
that's like 13 inches of fish when they grow and the pleco is fairly good waste producer, and none of them has more than a 5G worth of swimming room...
up to you, of course. but I bet for under $10 us you could get a cool 2-3 gallonish glass container at a thrift store, a little filter AND a betta. It would be in an un heated bowl, for now, but if you have a room in your house with steady temp it could work. Just something to consider.
 

reignman40

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Jun 15, 2005
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You could set the split up for a 2.5 gallon section for just a second betta, then leave a 7.5 gallon section for your other fish. It would be cramped but it's more do-able then trying to fit them in a 5 gall section.

Just a thought.
 

palmbreeze

Fish are friends...not food!
Jul 26, 2005
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Ohio
I do have a spare 5.5 gallon tank laying around. I could use that and split it. I like the idea of the Bettas being next to each other. Any ideas if I set that one up? What other sort of fish I could add ect?
 

jaylin

Don't ask if you don't want to know
Aug 14, 2005
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You want to be careful putting bettas next to each other. If they can see each other and spend a lot of time flairing out ... that's stressful to them. I think it's just plain cruel to put betta's where they are always looking at each other. If you have a see through divider, at least provide some areas where they can hide out.

In a 5.5 divided, I'd do two bettas and leave it at that. Maybe add a mystery snail for kicks.
 

sumoschro

Gold Thunder
Aug 16, 2003
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Portland, Oregon
Actually its really not that stressful for bettas to be next to each other. In fact in more ways its better and healthier for them to have someone to interact with, rather than sit in a vase or aquarium alone all its life. The 5.5 gallon would be great for that. Not only is it better for the fish, but it helps bring out your bettas true color and flare.
 
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